Combined floor and tub stand



Oct. 3, 1939. G; B. BENTZ COMBINED FLOOR AND TUB STAND Filed Sept. 17, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet l Geoccje .5. Ben '52 ITNESS Oct. 3, 1939. GfB. BENTZ 2,174,650

COMBINED FLOOR AND TUB STAND Filed Sept. 17, less 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5.

1 ac; i-Mob 0d. 3, 1939. G, B, B NTZ 2,174,650

COMBINED FLOOR AND TUB STAND Filed' Sept. 1'7, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 George 13. .5671 $2 Oct. 3, 1939. G. B. BENTZ 2,174,650

COMBINED FLOOR AND TUB sum) Filed Sept. 17, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 George .3. Ben Z2 W TNESS Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The invention relates to bathroom furniture and more particularly to a novel stand for any of various purposes, such as supporting towels, supporting toilet articles and cosmetics, or supporting a baby while bathing, drying, dressing or carrying out other operations.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a stand having floor-engaging legs, and also having proje'ctible and retractable tub-engaging means, thereby adapting said stand to be supported either on the floor or upon a bathtub.

A further object is to provide the stand with a shelf which may be extended over the bathtub (when the stand is tub-supported.

A still further object is to provide a stand of rather simple and inexpensive construction, yet one which will be highly desirable and durable.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing one form of construction supported upon one side wall of a bathtub.

Fig. 2 is a detail disassembled perspective view showing the manner in which the swingable shelf of Fig. l is connected with one of its supporting slides.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing a slightly different form of construction.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a still further form of construction.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective illustrating one of the shelf supports for the shelf of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View showing yet another form of construction.

Figs. '7 and 8 are detail perspectives illustrating slight changes which may be made in the construction of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of still another form of construction.

Fig. 10 is an elevation showing the device of Fig. 9 positioned in a bathtub, the latter being shown in transverse section.

Preferred features of construction have been illustrated in the drawings and will be specifically described, with the understanding, however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.-

In Figs. 1 and 2, a stand I2 is shown having supporting legs [3 and M at its opposite sides, and

a suitable top I 5. This top may well consist of two curved end bars l6 welded or otherwise secured upon the'legs I3 and I4, and spaced bars or tubes I! welded or otherwise secured to said end bars l6.

Near their lower ends, the legs [3 are rigidly tied to the legs. l4 by horizontal channel-shaped metal guide tracks H3, in which two horizontally 5 elongated slides l9 and 20 are mounted for horizontal sliding, said slides supporting a shelf 2| which may well be in the form of a tray. When the stand is supported upon the floor, the slides l9 and 2il preferably occupy inward positions: in which the shelf 2| is directly under the stand top l5. However, when the stand is to be supported'upon a bathtub side wall, shown at 22 in Fig. 1, said slides are outwardly pulled to project laterally from the stand and rest upon the tub rim. The outer ends of these slides are provided respectively with downwardly projecting fingers Z3 and 24' to abut the inner side of the tub wall, coacting with the adjacent portions of the legs F3 in straddling said wall to mount the stand thereon, said slides and fingers constituting tubengaging hooks which are extensible and retractable at will.

At least the finger 24 is tubular in the present disclosure, and one corner of the shelf 2| is provided with a downwardly projecting pin 25 rotatably received in said finger, thereby pivotally mounting the shelf 2| upon a vertical axis. The end of the shelf opposite the pivot simply rests upon the slide l9. Thus, when the stand is supported on' the tub Wall as shown, the shelf 2| may either occupy a position extending longitudinally over said wall as shown in full lines, or may be swung to a position in which it extends transverselyof the tub, as illustrated in dotted lines. The position of the shelf 2| when the stand is to be used upon the floor, is also illustrated in dotted lines.

Pivoted to the lower end portions of the legs I 3, I have illustrated two arms 26 which may normally occupy upwardly swung positions. If the stand is to be supported by a wall of an old style rolled-rim tub, as. illustrated, the arms 26 are swung downwardly to the positions shown in Fig. l to abut the outer side of said wall, assisting in 45 holding the stand in place. However, if the stand is to be supported upon a more modern tub of the conventional double-wall construction, the arms 26 will remain in their upwardly swung positions.

In fact, for the last mentioned type of tub, the 50 stand need not be provided with the arms 26.

Adjustable pins 20 hold the slides l9 and 20 in any desired position.

It is preferable that a support 21 for a mirror 28, be pivotally mounted upon one of the legs I3,

as shown at 29, or in some other equivalent manner.

In Fig. 3, the stand 38 is quite similar to that disclosed in Fig. 1, being provided with suitable supporting legs 32 and 33 for an appropriate top 35. Guide tracks 36 connect the lower end portions of the legs 33 with the corresponding portions of the legs 32, and horizontal slides 31 are engaged with said tracks, said slides being provided with downwardly projecting fingers 38. The slides 31 carry a tray 39 which is projectable and. retractable therewith, and the device may obviously be supported either upon the floor or upon a tub wall, the slides 31 and their fingers 38 constituting tub-engaging hooks when the stand is to be tub-supported. The tray or shelf 39 may either be directly secured to the slides 31 or may be removably supported thereby.

In Figs. 4 and 5, a stand 40 is shown, the top of which comprises two parallel horizontal tubes 4| secured to the stand legs 42 and 43 and connected by spaced rods or any suitable means 44. Two U-shaped rods or bars 45 are disposed in horizontal planes with their ends slidably received in the tubes 41, whereby said rods or bars may be pulled outwardly if desired to increase the width of the stand top.

Vertically swingable hooks 46 are connected with the legs 43 to coact with the lower ends of the latter in securing the stand upon a tub wall when desired. The shank of each hook is preferably provided with a slot 41 having an enlarged end 48, and a fiat-sided pivot stud 49 passes through this slot to connect the hook with the leg. When the hook is positioned as shown in Fig. 4, in full lines, it is supported in a retracted position, the flat-sided stud 49 then contacting with the side walls of the slot 41. When the hook is slid horizontally to some extent, however, the enlarged end 48 of the slot receive the stud 49, and said hook may then be swung to the dotted line position to engage the tub wall. When in this position, the hook may again be moved so that the stud 49 is again in contact with the side walls of the slot 41, again holding said hook against swinging.

A suitable shelf is provided normally occupying a position directly under the top of the stand, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4. This shelf is pivotally mounted on the legs 43 as denoted at 5! and at its opposite edge is provided with projecting studs 52 normally seated in sockets 53 carried by the legs 42, the shelf being therefore operatively positioned under the stand top for use of the stand upon the floor. When the stand is tub-supported, however, the shelf 59 may be swung to the dotted line position of Fig. 4, in which position it overlies the tub Wall.

In Figs. 6 to 8, the stand 54 comprises legs 55 and 56 connected at their upper ends by arched bars 51, which bars are rigidly secured to the ends of a plurality of towel supporting rods 58. Tubengaging hooks 59 are pivotally mounted on the legs 56 as denoted at 68, for horizontal swinging to and from retracted positions. When the hooks 59 are projected laterally from the stand, they may be engaged with a tub wall to support said stand upon said wall, and if this wall be of the old fashion rolled-rim. type, pivoted arms 6| may be provided on the legs 56 to assist in holding the stand in place.

A horizontally swingable shelf or tray 62 is pivotally mounted at 63 upon one of the legs 56 to swing from a normal position under the towelsupporting rods 58 to a laterally projecting posigit-4,656

tion as shown in dotted lines, and when the stand is supported upon a tub, it will be seen that the tray may extend transversely of the latter.

A suitable mirror support 64 may be pivotally mounted upon one of the legs 56 as shown at 65, or may be provided with a hook 66 (Fig. 8) to detachably engage a bearing 61 carried by said leg.

In Fig. '7, a hook 68 is provided on a shelf or tray 69 to engage a bearing carried by one of the legs 56 to detachably connect the shelf or tray with the stand.

In Figs. 9 and 10, a stand 1| is shown having an appropriate top 12 and a fixedly mounted shelf 13. The legs 14 and of this stand are preferably connected with each other at their lower ends as shown at 16, and the stand is preferably of a width to rest in a bathtub as shown in Fig. 10. One of the legs 14 and one of the legs 15 are provided with horizontally swingable hooks 11 to engage the tub wall, said hooks being preferably vertically slidable also upon said legs to facilitate engagement with and disengagement from the tub side wall.

It will be seen from the foregoing that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention. Any form of the stand may be conveniently used for any of various purposes while supported upon a bathroom floor or other floor, or when supported upon a bathtub, and in the forms of construction having a shelf projectable over a portion of the tub, articles supported on said shelf are readily accessible for use when or after bathing.

Excellent results may be obtained from the general construction shown and described, but attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a stand having vertically elongated legs to rest upon the floor if said stand is to be floor-supported, two of said legs being disposed at one side of the stand to abut the outer side of a bathtub wall if the stand is to be tub-supported, and hooks carried by said stand and projectible laterally beyond said two legs thereof to hook over the bathtub side wall if the stand is to be tub-supported, said hooks having elongated portions which are horizontally disposed when said hooks are projected, and other elongated portions which then project vertically downward from said horizontal portions to coact with said two legs of the stand in snugly straddling the tub wall, said vertical portions terminating above the plane in which the lower extremities of said legs are disposed, to prevent the floor from interfering with projection and retraction of said hooks while the stand rests on the floor.

2. A device of the class described comprising a stand having vertically elongated legs to rest upon the floor if said stand is to be floor-supported, two of said legs being disposed at one side of the stand to abut the outer side of a bathtub wall if the stand is to be tub-supported, horizontally elongated slides mounted for horizontal movement on the legs at opposite ends of the stand, said slides being projectible laterally from said two legs of the stand to overlie a bathtub side wall if the stand is to be tub-supported, and downwardly projecting fingers on said slides to coact with said two legs of the stand in snugly straddling the tub wall, said fingers terminating above the plane in which the lower extremities of said legs are disposed, to prevent the floor from interfering with projection and retraction of said slides and fingers while the stand rests on the floor.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, together with a shelf between said legs extensible beyond the stand, said shelf being sufiiciently high to extend over a portion of the bathtub when the stand is tub-supported.

4. A structure as specified in claim 2, together with a shelf supported by said slides for extension therewith, said shelf being sufiiciently high to occupy a position over the tub wall when the stand is to be tub-supported.

5. A structure as specified in claim 2, together with a shelf supported by said slides for extension therewith, said shelf being sufficiently high to occupy a position over the tub wall when the stand is to be tub-supported, said shelf being pivoted on a vertical axis to one of said slides to swing to a position extending transversely of the tub if desired.

6. A structure as specified in claim 1, together with an invertible shelf between said legs and pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis, said shelf being sufficiently high to swing to a position over' the tube wall when the stand is tubsupported, and means for supporting said shelf in horizontal position between the stand legs when the stand is to be floor-supported.

'7. A structure as specified in claim 1, together with a shelf between said legs and pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on one of said two legs, said shelf being sufficiently high to swing to a position over the bathtub when the stand is tub-supported.

8. A stand comprising two end frames each consisting of two vertically elongated legs and an arched member rigidly connecting the upper ends of said legs, a plurality of horizontal rods rigidly connecting the arched members of the two end frames and thereby rigidly connecting said end frames, two sleeves rotatably surrounding the legs at one side of the stand and held against vertical sliding thereon, and two hooks having horizontal portions rigidly secured to said sleeves respectively to rest upon a bathtub wall when said two legs are disposed against said wall and said hooks are swung laterally from the stand, said hooks having vertical portions projecting rigidly downward from said horizontal portions to coact with said two legs in snugly straddling the tub wall when the stand is to be tub-supported, said vertical portions terminating above the plane in which the lower extremities of said legs are disposed, to prevent the floor from interfering with pro jection and retraction of said hooks while the stand rests on the floor.

9. A stand comprising two end frames each consisting of two vertically elongated legs and an arched member rigidly connecting the upper ends of said legs, a plurality of horizontal rods rigidly connecting the arched members of the two end frames and thereby rigidly connecting said end frames, two sleeves rotatably surrounding the legs at one side of the stand and held against vertical sliding thereon, two hooks having horizontal portions rigidly secured to said sleeves respectively to rest upon a bathtub wall when said two legs are disposed against said wall and said hooks are swung laterally from the stand, said hooks having vertical portions projecting rigidly downward from said horizontal portions to coact with said two legs in snugly straddling the tub wall when the stand is to be tub-supported, said vertical portions terminating above the plane in which the lower extremities of said legs are disposed, to prevent the floor from interfering with projection and retraction of said hooks while the stand rests on the floor, a horizontal shelf normally disposed under said rods, and means pivotally mounting said shelf on one of said two legs for horizontal swinging, said shelf being sufficiently high to overlie a portion of the bathtub when the stand is tub-supported and said shelf is swung laterally.

GE RG E- BEN 

